There is a simple idea at the heart of this report, the same idea that lies at the heart of the True Sport movement – good sport can make a great difference. Sport is woven into the very fabric of every community in Canada. One out of every 4 adults and one out of two children actively participate in sport, while over 5.3 million Canadians volunteer as coaches, officials, and organizers. We have only to look at the sheer numbers of Canadians who participate in sport, the depth of engagement of the volunteers and donors who make sport possible, and the fundamental goodwill that animates the majority of those who act from a desire to help others and their community – to know that the reach of community sport into Canadian life, in so many ways that matter, is extraordinary.

At the same time, the wide array of benefits that community sport can and often does deliver is also unparalleled. Sport can make us healthier; help put our children on a positive life course and equip them to meet future challenges; strengthen our communities by bringing people together and building trust and inclusion; foster economic development by building skills, attracting tourism, and making communities more attractive to workers and companies that want to employ them; and provide a platform and leadership in the promotion of environmental sustainability.